There is a good reason why this beautiful hotel is recommended by numerous guide books. Not only is it located beneath a castle with great views of the Aran islands, it exudes peace and tranquility with its gorgeous meadows and ancient trees. We stayed in the famous room 16 and it is indeed as good as the books promised. The... more

Despite the glowing reviews from other visitors to the Ballinalacken Castle Hotel, we were quite disapoointed with our stay. After a late arrival to the hotel, the owner gruffly took us to Room # 5 (so much for a warm Irish welcome), which had peeling wallpaper, an air freshener plugged into the wall to hide the musty smell, and spider... more

Sitting on a knoll in the shadow of the 15th. Century Ballinalacken castle, it overlooks the Aran Islands in one direction and a silhouette of the Cliffs of Moher in another, Irish weather permitting, of course. The accommodations are good, the staff better and the food great. If you’re visiting the Burrnen and the Cliffs it’s a perfect location. The... more

This hotel is absolutely perfect. The location is wonderful, a very short drive to either Doolin or Lisdoonvarna, with a stunning view of the Aran Islands greeting you from your room or the dining area. Access to the Burren Way begins just outside the driveway if you're interested in a spectacular walk with beautiful views and wildflowers, and the property... more

I booked a ocean view room but was disappointed to find the view was mostly car park with the ocean quite a long way in the distance - I wonder if you have to book a suite or a four-poster room to get a better ocean view? The room itself was also fairly average considering the cost (EUR150). Hotel itself... more

My wife, Mother-in-law and I have just returned from a wonderful stay at the Ballinalacken Castle Hotel, a beautiful manor house overlooked by the old castle ruin. From the moment we arrived with a huge irish welcome from Cecilia, Declan and a peat fire in the lobby, we knew we were in for a good time. The scenery is breathtaking... more

Service was amazing. When we arrived my wife discovered that her curling iron had burned out (the cheap power converter I bought died with it). At the bar, we mentioned the story to the barkeep. He said, "lemme take a look at it." A bit later he returns. The Czech cook had re-soldered and fixed it. Then, only later, did... more

The Ballinalacken Castle achieves very high standards in accommodation, dining and hospitality. The rooms are very large, and the one we viewed in the older section was even larger. Choose one overlooking the sea. An excellent airy restaurant, again with great views, superb modern dishes and excellent wines. The French and other waitresses were very caring and efficient. Breakfast choice... more

We stayed at the Ballinalacken in early October. We arrived early in the morning and were warmly greeted, shown to our room, and treated to a wonderful hot breakfast. Do not miss the porridge, which was like eating pudding--wonderful! Cecelia helped us to find some wonderful things to do each day we stayed. We found the room a bit cold... more